Right to the latest on the face-off between Russia and the west over Ukraine. A superpower conflict that echoes the cold war. Martha Raddatz and terry Moran. Both on the scene. Martha in Paris in the middle of high-stakes diplomacy. Good morning, Martha. Reporter: Good morning, George. There is a meeting today between John Kerry and Russia's foreign minister. It should be tense and frank especially after that provocative missile launch. Was it a routine missile test or blatant show of force? That is the question many in the international community are asking this morning after Russia's INT intercontinental ballistic missile launch Tuesday, a test fire launched over the caspian sea lding in a remote part of Kazakhstan. They say it had been planned well before the unfolding crisis in Ukraine. Calling it a previously notified and routine test launch of an icbm. It's time we woke up about Vladimir Putin. It's time that this administration got real. Reporter: All this frenzy coming on a day full of diplomatic meetings. Secretary Kerry met with the acting Ukrainian president and prime minister in hopes of easing tensions while firmly condemning Russia's actions. And both Kerry in Ukraine and president Obama back home are sending the same decisive message, that Russia needs to de-escalate or face international pressure. Our partners will have absolutely no choice but to join us to continue to expand upon steps we have taken in recent days in order to isolate Russia politically, diplomatically and economically. We're prepared to make sure that the rights of all Ukrainians are upheld. Reporter: The U.S. Will keep up the pressure today, but the Russians keep pushing back. George. They do, Martha. Okay, to ABC's terry Moran on the ground in Ukraine. All through the crisis. He joins us now. After the missile launch talk about anti-missile batteries in the Ukraine. Reporter: Absolutely, George. It's a military standoff here as you can see behind me. An interesting thing, Ukrainian soldiers, Russian soldiers sharing a smoke, a laugh but they all know if given the orders they'll fight and Russia keeps tightening the screws here as you just pointed out. Two more anti-missile batteries, Ukrainian anti-missile batteries now under de facto Russian control. Ukrainian ships bottled up in the harbor by Russian warships. There's no question this has brought a knife's edge here. Clearly he's calling the shots here for Russia, but so many in the west don't know exactly what he wants. Reporter: That is the $64,000 question, George, what does Vladimir Putin want because he is driving all of the events here. He seemed to suggest in that press conference that he doesn't want his troops to go farther into united and that did hearten the stock markets and others but sent an unmistakable message to president Obama and the west, his former kgb officer who caused the collapse of the soviet union, he said basically stay out of this space near Russia. All right, terry, thanks very much.

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